Increased levels of tau-like protein in patients with Down syndrome

Tau-like protein levels from 40 Down syndrome (DS) persons (31-70 years old ), 40 non-DS age-matched normal controls, 18 non-DS mentally retarded (MR) persons (26-91 years old), 25 probable Alzheimer disease (AD) patients (55- 99 years old) and 24 non-demented elderly controls (54-79 years old) were m easured using a sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The levels were detected in 22 of 40 DS persons and were significantly higher in DS than a ny other group (P < 0.0001). There was no relationship between tau-like pro tein levels and age, gender or apolipoprotein E phenotypes in any of the fi ve groups. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.